Refrigerator and temperature control device



V. W. MOODY May l4, 193s.

Filed June 22,- 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 14, 1935; v.'w. MOODY- 12,001,105 7 REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL DEVICE v Filed June 22,19s; 2 Sheets-Sheet? N I n M ,3

Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR AND TEMPERATURE CONTROLDEVICE Virginius W. Moody, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor of two-thirds toReynolds Metals Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware, and

. one-third to Robertshaw Thermostat Company, Youngwood, Pa.,

Pennsylvania a corporation of Application June 22,1933, Serial No.677,006

8 Claims.

Heretofore refrigerating systems operating 7 upon a principle related tothat of the present invention have not been satisfactory because ofinadequate means for circulating the cooling liquid or brine. In earlierrelated machines the gas pressure developed by gasification of arefrigerant has been used to conduct a cooling liquid by a bubblingprocess whereby a great amount of gas pressurevis wastefully dissipated.

The earlier devices referred to above embrace in their structure acirculatory system for a cooling fluid, comparable to a brine, having asa part thereof a slender vertical conduit. This conduit extends from thelower part of the circulatory system to the top thereof, the systembeing only partly filled with fluid so that fluid will normally stand ata level below the top of the vertical conduit. Circulationof the fluidis caused by the introduction of gas, which is a product of therefrigerant as it is transformed incident to cooling the fluid, into thevertical passage below the surface of the liquid. The passage, above thesurface of the liquid standing therein, is of such small cross sectionthat the bubbles formed by the gas that is dischargedin the liquid willentirely fill a transverse section of that part of the passage. As thebubbles rise, a small amount of liquid is conducted therewith to the topof the vertical passage and hence the top of the circulatory system,where the conducted liquid is spilled over the top of the verticalpassage. Each bubble, as it rises through the vertical passageway,serves as a small piston to lift part of the liquid. After the liquidflows over the top of the vertical passage, it flows by force of gravitydownwardly through the circulatory system; that is, through the part ofthe system in which there may be disposed coils for cooling acompartment for the storage of goods to be cooled; y

In this type of refrigerating unit cursorily described, it is imperativethat the passage through which the liquid is conducted by means ofbubbles, be truly vertical. If it were not truly vertical throughout itslength the bubbles would be given an opportunity to glide past theliquid and thereby fail to conduct it. Consequently, if there arecooling coils in the circulatory system, it is necessary to place themin that part of the system that is traversed by the liquid after it hasbeen conducted by the bubbles. It is impossible to place the coolingcoils at the top of such a device if the liquid is to be circulateddownwardly therethrough by the force of gravity. Then a device of thatkind cannot be constructed in a manner that it will be the mostsatisfactory, for in most instances, a refrigerating machine to be themost effective should have its cooling coils near the top. Anotherdisadvantage of a refrigerator operating upon the bubbling principle isthat the height to which the liquid can be lifted by the bubbles isexceedingly limited. A machine of the type being discussed is notadapted for cooling a compartment that may be remote therefrom or anyappreciable distance thereabove.

Neither is such a machine adapted for unusual or irregular installationsbecause the vertical position of all sections of the passage for thebubbling process must be preserved.

Another disadvantage of a refrigerating machine using the ,bubblingprocess exists in sluggishness of the circulation of the cooling liquid.A great percentage of the gas passing through the vertical passagewaydoes not function to conduct liquid, and hence is wasted so far ascirculation of the cooling liquid is concerned. And, inasmuch as theamount of gas generated by the refrigerant is small, the circulation ofthe fluid is made even more sluggish. A device depending upon such afeeble circulatory means is not quickly responsive to cool a storagecompartment or to restore the low temperature thereto after it is lost.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of:

A novel means, in a refrigerating system employing solidifiedcarbon-dioxide, or other suitable refrigerant ,adapted to pass intoagaseous state, for cooling a circulatory cooling fluid and for causingsaid fluid to circulate by a positive action of said gas.

A new refrigerating system employing a circulatory fluid and arefrigerant transmutable into a gas, for cooling such fluid and wherebysuch gas may be used positively to force said fluid into cooling coilsat a much greater or lesser elevation than the other parts of thecirculatory system.

A refrigerating system having a tract for the flow of a cooling fluid,said tract being arranged so that gas from a cooling agent may be usedfor forcing the fluid upwardly or downwardly or horizontally throughcooling coils.

A useful combination of circulatory system for a cooling liquid and agas-emitting agent for cooling said liquid and in which combination thefluid is caused to circulate intermittently in accordance with thetemperature of a space being cooled thereby.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of arefrigerating system employing a circulatory fluid, a refrigerant forcooling such fluid and transmutable into a gas, the system beingarranged for making use of the transmuted gas to circulate the fluid ina manner to progres= sive1y and intermittently store portions of thefluid in parts of a circulatory system.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of arefrigerating device of the above character which is adapted forinstallation either remotely or proximately to a space to be cooledthereby, and which may be above or below or at any intermediate positionwith respect to the space to be cooled.

The manner in which the above desirable objects are accomplished. willbe made apparent upon reading the following description of the inventionin connection with the accompanying two sheets of drawings-hereby made apart of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a form of the invention; g m

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1and taken along the line- 2-2 in that figure;

' Figure 3illustrates an installation of the de vice shown in Figures 1and 2' that employs a plurality of cabinets; and

Figure 4 shows a modified form ofthe invention.

Like reference characters will be used in the drawings and throughoutthe following description to designate similar parts of the invention.

The first part of the description will be conflned to the jointrepresentation of Figures 1 and eration. The opening H to the cabinet"I, which is enclosed by a door I 2, maybe of any convenient size ordesign. The cabinet also contains a small opening l3, at any convenientplace in, a wall thereof. v,

Disposed at a suitable interior section of the cabinet Ill is a tank I4,which is preferably formed of metal. Although no such construction isshown in the drawings, the tank |4 may be encased in an insulatorycovering so that the amount of heat passing thereinto from ambientmedium, and hence to the body of refrigerating material 24, may bepredeterminably regulated. Circumscribing the upper peripheral edge oftank I4 is a flange l5 for coacting with a flange l6 extending froma'cover H to compress a gasket member |3 for making the tank air-tight.A steel stra'p l9 may be used in conjunction with a thumbnut 20 forholding cover member IT in place to' the tank. Oppositely disposed lugs2| are adapted to hook beneath flange l5 of the tank, whereas threadedaperture 22 provides anchorage for a thumbnut 20 so that the latter maybe turned downwardly for I 4. The bottom of the refrigerant compartmentmay be corrugated asshown at 29 to present greater heat transfer surfacebetween the refrigerant 24 and cooling fluid 39.

In the upper part of tank I 4 is an auxiliary reservoir 3| which isenclosed to exclude therefrom the pressure developed in tank Id. Theinterior of reservoir 3| communicates to the atmosphere outside ofcabinet ID by means of an exhaust pipe 32, said pipe leading outwardlyof the cabinet by way of opening l3. Pipe sections 33 and 34are'connected to lead from a cooling coil 35 into the reservoir 3|. Theopposite end of cooling coil 35 communicates to the lower-part of tankl4 by way of pipe sections 36, 91 and 38, the vertical section 33terminating below the surface of the body of cooling fluid 39 within thetank.

leading from the lower side of reservoir 3| is a discharge pipe 39,which is connected to a valve mechanism 40. Valve 40' consists of a basemember 4| having U-shaped passage 42 therein. In the larger of the twoopenings to U-shaped passages is screwed a plug 43 having a toprecess 44with side openings 45, a central vertical opening 46 and a bearinghanger 41 depending below the vertical opening 46. A cap 48 providedwith a central bearing 49 may be screwed in place over recess 44.Reciprocably held within bearing 49 and the bearing hanger 41 is a valvestem 50 fitted with avalve plate 5| adapted to close the upper end ofpassage 46.

The smaller and opposite end of U-shaped passage 42 is of the properdimensions to receive the lower end of conduit 39.

Duringia certain stage of operation of the device, cooling liquid 30from reservoir 3| is allowed'to pass downwardly through pipe 39 intopassage 42, upwardly between valve plate 5| and the seat about the upperend of opening 46, thence into recess and outwardly of the recess intotank I4 by way of apertures 45.

Depending in the bottom of reservoir 3| is a "pipe 52. The upper end ofsaid pipe is disposed at an elevation greater than that ever attained bythe liquid in reservoir 3|. To the lower end of pipe 52 is a valvemember 53 having a chamber 54 and arecess 55 at its top covered by acap'56. A valve stem 51 is reciprocably journaled in cap 56 and acountersunk portion 560 of chamber 54. Fixed to stem 51 is a valve plate53 for engaging valve seat 59 to shut off communication betweenchamberj54 and recess 55.

Near the'upper end of stem 51 are collars 60 and- 6|, said collars beingfixed thereto with a slight space .therebetween. A compression spring 63may be employed to exert a force between the top of cap 56 and collar6|. Extending from a side of valve member 53 is a bracket 64 to which ispivoted a lever 65. A float 66 is attached to one end of lever 65 andthe counterpart of lever 65 is apertured to reciprocably receive thesection of valve stem between collars 60 and 6|.

A thermo-valve 61 may be disposed at any convenient position within thecompartment for the storage of articles to be preserved by the deviceand may be of any suitable design. In

these drawings valve 61 comprises an element 68 that is adapted toexpand when heated and contract whencooled. Attached to the movable endof the expansible element 69 by means of a rod 69 is a plunger 16girdled by a groove 1 I. Plunger III is adapted to reciprocate within acylinderlike recess 12 having side openings 13 and 14 with which grooveH is caused to register incident to member 68 being contracted. Leadingfrom opening 13 is a pipe 15 to empty into exhaust pipe 32. Pipe 16leads from opening 14 to tank l4.

When the space within the storage compartment I is at as low astemperature as desired, element 68 will be contracted sufficiently tocause groove H to register with openings I3 and 14 so that a passagewill be cleared from tank l4 by way of pipe 16, the said apertures 13and I4 and groove 1|, pipe 15, and exhaust pipe 32, thus precluding theaccumulation of gas pressure within tank l4; Other forms ofthermostatically controlled valves may be used.

It will be assumed, for the purpose of describing the operation of thedevice, that the interior of the storage cabinet H) is at roomtemperature and that the device is being placed in operation for thefirst time. Cooling fluid 30 may beany heat conductive fluid that willnot freeze at the temperature at which it is to operate. The operatinglevel of the fluid 38 in tank I4 is a factor for determining itstemperature and hence the frequency of pumping'cycles needed to maintainthe storage compartment at the desired temperature. When it is desiredto operate the device with the cooling fluid at a very low temperature,the fluid level will be brought up into contact with the bottom of therefrigerant container 23. A greater transfer of heat between therefrigerant and the cooling fluid may be had by corrugating the bottomof the tank 23. Not in all instances,however, will it be desired tooperate the" device with the cooling fluid at so low a temperature. Thecooling fluid will usually be maintained at a higher temperature whenthe storage compartment is to be allowed to remain at a highertemperature or when there is a small amount of heat to be conducted fromthe storage compartment. A higher operating temperature for the coolingfluid may be had by filling tank M to a lower fluid level. If the fluidis in intimate contact with but the lower sections of the corrugatedbottom of tank M, if the bottom is corrugated, or if the liquid level isentirely below said tank, the transfer of heat between the refrigerantand the cooling liquid will be decreased. It follows that when thetransfer of heat to the refrigerant from the cooling liquid is decreasedthe refrigerant will -not be dissipated so rapidly.

To further reduce the rate of transfer of heat between the refrigerantand the cooling fluid, the refrigerant may be set upon pads 18a of heatinsulating material or the like. If desired, the transfer of heat to therefrigerant may be still further impeded by constructing tank 23 ofinsulating material.

Whatever may be the level selected for normally maintaining the heightof the cooling liq- 'uid in tank M, the float 68 will be adjusted sothat when a selected portion of the cooling fluid is in tank M, thefloat will be buoyed to a height to cause the closing of valve 53. Inthe beginning of the operating cycle of the device the reservoir 3| willbe empty of fluid and valve 48 will be closed. It has been statedhereinabove that valve 61 is closed when the temperature within thestoragecompartment is above a selected temperature. This temperaturewill ordinarily be below room temperature so that it may be assumed thatvalve 61 is closed at the stage of the operating cycle being described.

Consequently, as pressure builds up within tank l4 it can only escape byway of the cooling coil circuit, hence the cooling liquid is forcedthrough pipe sections 38, 31, and 36, through cooling coil 35, pipesections 34 and 33, and into reservoir 3|. As liquid continues to flowin this circuit, as it is displaced from tank M by the gas generated bythe refrigerant 24, it is retained in reservoir 3 I. Before reservoir 3|becomes filled, the level of liquid 38 in tank l4 will-have been loweredsufficientlyto permit the float 68 to pivot lever 65 and thus open valve53. Incident to the opening of valve 53 the compressed gas within tankI4 is allowed to escape by way of openings 18 in cap 56, the valve, andoutwardly by way of pipe 52. A clear passage for the gas from pipe 52 tothe atmosphere is had through reservoir 3| and exhaust pipe 32. In thismanner the pressure in tank I4 is dissipated to permit valve 40 to openunder the head pressure of the liquid in reservoir 3| to thus allow theliquid stored in reservoir 3| to pass downwardly through the valve intothe tank l4. As liquid passes from reservoir 3| into tank l4 the liquidlevel in the latter is restored to the starting position to elevatefloat 66 and thus close valve 53. After valve 53 is closed the device isin order to repeat the cycle just described, such cycle being repeateduntil the temperature in the storage cabinet is lowered to the desireddegree. At that time valve 81 will be opened to permit all gas generatedby the refrigerant to escape by way of said valve 67 and the exhaustline therethrough comprising pipes 16, I5 and 32. When gas pressure isthus precluded from building up in tank I4, the circulatory system isinoperative and the storage compartment II] will start to increase intemperature.

If, however, the refrigerating device is disposed wholly within thestorage compartment as-illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, there will be anabsorption of heat through the walls of tank It to materially decreasethe rate at which the temperature of the air within the storage compartrment will increase in temperature.

As a safety measure, the intake end of pipe 38 is placed below thesurface of the liquid in tank ||l only such a distance that reservoir 3|can receive and contain the amount of liquid that may be in tank M abovesuch intake end. Then, if for some unforeseen reason, valve 53 fails tooperate at the time the liquid level in tank i reaches a selected lowerlevel, the reservoir 3| cannot become filled to the point of overflowingwhereby liquid might be forced outwardly through exhaust pipe 32, or tocause excessive pressure in the device. In the manner pipe 38 isarranged, if valve 53 fails to open at the desired time, reservoir 3|would simply be filled a slightly greater amount than normal andthereafter gas, instead of liquid, would be forced through thecirculatory system in the reservoir and outwardly by way of the exhaustpipe 32 to cause no in- Incident to the temperature in the storagecabinet increasing a selected amount after it has been cooled, valve 61will again be closed and the required number of pumping cycles willthereafter be performed by the device to again restore the lowertemperature within the-storage compartment. 1 Q

Figure 3 illustrates the, device just described, and how it'may bearranged in a separate cabinet. The motivating part of the device ishoused in cabinet 89, which comprises walls of insulating material.Cover 8| is also preferably made of insulating material. Exhaust pipe'52, instead of passing through the storage compartment,

- device.

opens directly to the atmosphere through a wall oi cabinet 80.

Cooling coil 35 and thermo-valve 81 are arranged as desired intheseparate storage compartment 82, which has walls and a cover 03 of asuitable insulating material. A pipe 84 is coupled to pipe 38 and leadsinto cabinet 83 to cooling coil 35. Pipe 85 serves as a means forconducting the liquid from coil 35 to reservoir 3|, similarly as dopipes 33 and 34 as the device is arranged in Figures 1 and 2. In theevent that cabinets and 82 are placed a considerable distance from oneanother, the portion of pipes 10, 84 and 85 extending therebetween maybe covered with insulating material. Inasmuch as the component parts ofthe device are interconnected in the identical manner, in Figure 3, asin Figures 1 and 2, the operation thereoi is the same as that alreadydescribed. Consequently, a description of the operation of the parts asarranged, in Figure 3 would be but redundancy.

Figure 3 shows the adaptability of the device to remote temperaturecontrol, and its adaptability to the cooling of a. plurality ofindependent storage cabinets, for more than one cooling coil 35 may beinterposed in the circulatory circuit.

Such additional coils may be placed in different storage compartments oithe same or independent cabinets. If there be a series of cooling coils,the difierent compartments cooled thereby may be kept at differenttemperatures by increasing or decreasing the respective coil surfaces.

Figure 4 shows still a different manner in which the device may bearranged to adaptit for remote control. In this form of thedevice, agas-tight tank is provided for the enclosure of a refrigerant such assolidified carbon-dioxide and a cooling fluid. The cooling fluid isconfined to the lower part of the tank 90 to have the lower part of theopen-topped refrigerant container 9| immersed therein. Adjacent to tank90 is an auxiliary tank 93, there being a tube 94 for connecting the twotanks below the liquid level and a tube95 for connecting said tanksabove the liquid level so that the liquid may be caused to maintain thesame level in both tanks. A float 90' and valve 91 are arranged so thatwhen the float is lowered the valve will open to permit the escape ofgas therethrough from the tanks and butwardly to the atmosphere by wayof pipes 98 and 99.

Another pipe, I00, having therein a thermo-, valve IOI, similar tovalve-81, is for conducting gas from tank 90 during certain periods ofoperation of the device. Pipe I00 may connect to pipe 99 to complete anexhaust circuit to the atmosphere. A cooling coil I02 communicates tothe bottom of tank 90 through a conduit I03. A

' valve III! in conduit I03 is adapted to allow liquid to flow only inthe direction indicated'by the arrow thereby. The other end of thecooling coil I02 leads to a reservoir I05, which opens to the atmospherethrough exhaust pipe 99. Near the bottom of reservoir I05 is connected aconduit I06, the said conduit leading to the bottom of tank 90. Disposedin conduit-I06 is a valve I01 for permitting the flow of liquid only inthe direction indicated by the arrow adjacent thereto.

The whole of the apparatus just described in connection with Figure 4may be contained in a single cabinet (a cabinet suitable for storage ofproducts tobe kept cool).,,or separate cabinets may be used for. housingdifl'erent parts of the So far as illustrating the principle ofoperation of the device is concerned, the number of cabinets in which itmight be housed is im- In the beginning of the cycle of operation otthedevice just described, all of the cooling liquid will be in tanks 90 and93 so that float 98 will be buoyed well up to close valve 91. Thetempera- V ture within storage compartment I 00 will be relatively highso that valve I M will be closed. As

the refrigerant in receptacle 9| gaslfles pursuant to absorbing heatfrom the cooling fluid in tank 90, the gas pressure in tanks 90 and 93is increased to force the cooled liquid downwardly of the tank 90through conduit I03 and valve I04, through cooling coil I 02 and intoreservoir I05. Before reservoir I05 becomes fllled, float 38 will havebeen lowered sufliciently by the fall of the liquid level in tanks 90and 93 to open valve 91 and allow dissipation of, the gas pressure fromthe two tanks to the atmosphere by way of pipes 98 and 99. Incidentalto-the release of pressure in the two tanks, the pressure head of theliquid then stored in reservoir I05 will have no counterpressure andhence will open valve I01 to let the liquid pass through to tank 90 andhence into tank 93. When the liquid has drained from reservoir I05, thefloat 96 will again be raised to close valve 91 so that pressure may beagain accumulated in tanks 90 and 93 and the cycle reenacted.

The cycle just described will be repeated until the desired lowtemperature in the storage comv partment is attained, at which timevalve ill will automatically open to clear the exhaust, comprising pipes.I00 and 99, for tank 90. While valve IN is open the device will beinoperative because it is then impossible for the actuating pressure tobe built up in the two tanks 90 and 93. When, however, the temperaturein the storage compartment increases to a certain limit,

valve IOI will automatically close whereby pressure may again be builtup in tanks 90 and 93 to cause circulation of the cooling fluid.

Only a few of the possible forms of the invention have been hereinillustrated, hence it is to be understood that the scope of theinvention is to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is: v

1. In a refrigerating system energized by a substance disposed to gasifywhen heated, a body of circulatory cooling fluid dissipating heat tosaid substance, a circulatory system through which said fluid circulatesand having an intake end leading from said fluid body and an enddischarging into said body, means for eflecting a.

pressure from said gas for forcing said liquid into the intake end ofsaid circulatory system, and means permitting the discharge of saidcirculatory system into said fluid body only incident to a selectedstate of depletion of said fluid body.

2. A refrigerating system energized by a sub-' stance adapted to gasifywhen heated and com-' culatory system into said tank concurrently to thefluid in said tank being subjected to said gas pressure.

3. In a refrigerating device energized by a gasifiable refrigerant, acompartment for the storage of articles to be refrigerated, a system forthe circulation of a cooling fluid through said compartment, a tankdisposed in series withsaid circulatory system and for holding a portionof said fluid in heat conductive relationship to said refrigerant andfor accumulating gas emanating from said refrigerant to subject apressure upon heat from the fluid in said reservoir, a second} reservoirarranged for discharge into the first, cooling coils arranged fordischarge into the s'ecnd reservoir, a conduit leading from beneath thesurface of the liquid in the first reservoir to said cooling coils,means for confining the gas from said refrigerant to force a part of theliquid from the first reservoir through said conduit,

thence through'said cooling coils and into the' second reservoir, andmeans actuated coincidentally with a selected depletion of the liquid inthe first reservoir providing for the discharge of the fluid from thesecond reservoir to the first.

5. In a refrigerating system energized by gas pressure produced by thesublimation 'ofa'refrigerant, a compartment for the storage ofarticlesto be refrigerated, confining means for a refrigerant, a tankfor a cooling liquid in com-' munication with said confining means, aconduit from said tank at a point below the normal level of the coolingliquid therein andextending about said compartment, said conduitreceiving liquid forced out of said tank by the sublimation of therefrigerant in said confining means, and means of a selected heatconductivity. intermediate said tank and said confining means andsupporting the refrigerant out of contact with said cooling liquid.

6. In a refrigerating system energized by gas pressure produced by thesublimation of a refrigerant, a storage chamber, a confining means for arefrigerant, a container for a body of circulatory cooling liquid, meansof selected heat conductivity separating the body of liquid in saidcontainer from the refrigerant in said confining means, a conduitleading from said container at a point below the surface of the body ofliquid therein to said storage chamber, and means of communicationbetween said confining means and container for transferring the gasgenerated in said confining means to said container for exerting apressure upon the surface of said body of liquid in said container. 7. Arefrigerating system energized by g pressure produced by sublimation ofa refrigerant comprising a gas-tight container for such refrigerant, acompartment to be refrigerated, a tank for a cooling liquid in heattransfer relation with said gas-tight container, a conduit system havingcoils in said compartment, said conduit system having an intake endextending from said tank and a discharge end leading back thereinto, thegas pressure created by such sublimation of the refrigerant beingimpressed upon the cooling liquid in said tank to force the coolingliquid ,therefrom into said conduit through the intake end thereof, abreather for the escape of air and "gas trapped in said conduit system,and means "precluding movement of the coolingliquid from said tank intothe discharge end of said conduit because of suchgas pressure.

8. A refrigerating system. energized by gas pressure obtained by thesublimation of a re-' frigerant, comprising a compartment forrefrigerated articles, confining means for a refrigerant, a tank for acooling liquid in heat conducting relation with the confining means forsuch refrigerant'and in communication with said confining means, aconduit having an intake end leadingfrom' said tank in a plane below thenormal level of the cooling liquid therein and a discharge end leadingback into said tank, said conduit extending aboutsaid compartment inheatwonducting relation therewith and having escape means for air andgas entrapped t erein,

and valve means at the discharge end 0 said conduit, the cooling liquidbeing of a temperature to impart heat to the refrigerant'to causesublimation thereof, the gas pressure created by such sublimationextending into said tank to force the cooling liquid therefrom into saidconduit through the intake end thereof, and said valve means closing thedischarge end of said conduit coincidentally with the creation ofpressure in said tank.

. .V'IRGINIUS W. MOODY.

